---
name: hydration-and-energy-plan
description: "Beat the afternoon crash with a realistic hydration, food-timing, and movement plan — not a caffeine-and-sugar band-aid. Use when asked how to stop the afternoon slump, I'm always tired after lunch, boost my energy, or a hydration routine. Produces a read on likely crash causes, hydration targets tied to your day, food and caffeine timing that avoids the spike-crash, movement and light micro-fixes, and a flag that persistent fatigue is worth a doctor's check."
---

# Hydration & Energy Plan

The 3pm crash usually isn't a caffeine deficiency — it's some mix of mild dehydration, a heavy carb-y lunch, a caffeine mistime, and sitting still under fluorescent light. This finds the likely causes in your day and gives concrete, non-gimmicky fixes: when to drink, what and when to eat, how to time caffeine, and the two-minute movement resets that beat another coffee.

## What This Skill Produces

- **A crash-cause read** — the likely drivers from your routine (hydration, lunch composition, caffeine timing, movement, sleep)
- **Hydration targets** — a realistic intake plan spread across the day, with cues (not "drink 4 litres")
- **Food & caffeine timing** — a lunch that doesn't spike-then-crash, and when to stop caffeine so it doesn't wreck sleep
- **Movement & light micro-fixes** — short walks, standing, daylight — the underrated energy levers
- **A medical flag** — persistent fatigue despite the basics warrants a doctor (sleep, thyroid, iron, etc.)

## Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:
- **The pattern** — when the slump hits and how bad
- **Hydration** — what and how much you drink through the day
- **Food** — typical breakfast/lunch, timing, and composition
- **Caffeine** — how much and when (esp. afternoon)
- **Movement, light & sleep** — how much you move, daylight exposure, sleep quality

## Framework: Fix The Real Levers

1. **Hydrate steadily.** Spread water across the day with simple cues (a glass each hour/meal); even mild dehydration saps focus and energy.
2. **Rebalance lunch.** A heavy refined-carb lunch spikes then crashes blood sugar — protein, fiber, and not overeating smooth the afternoon.
3. **Time caffeine smartly.** Useful earlier; an afternoon hit can both mask the crash and sabotage that night's sleep (fueling tomorrow's crash).
4. **Move and get light.** A short walk and daylight beat a fourth coffee — the cheapest, most ignored energy fix.
5. **Escalate if it persists.** If the basics don't help, ongoing fatigue is a medical question (sleep disorder, anemia, thyroid) — see a doctor.

## Output Format

### Energy plan: [slump pattern]

**Likely causes:** [top 2–3 from your routine].

**Hydration:** target ~[realistic amount], spread as [cue — e.g. a glass at each meal + one mid-morning/afternoon].
**Lunch fix:** [protein + fiber, portion] — swap [crash food] for [steadier option].
**Caffeine:** [amount, and a cutoff time to protect sleep].
**Micro-fixes:** [short walk + daylight at the slump time].

> If fatigue persists despite hydration, food, movement, and sleep, see a doctor — it can signal something treatable.

## Quality Checks
- [ ] Identifies the likely crash causes from the person's routine
- [ ] Hydration guidance is realistic and cue-based, not an extreme number
- [ ] Addresses lunch composition and caffeine timing (incl. sleep impact)
- [ ] Includes movement/daylight micro-fixes
- [ ] Flags persistent fatigue as a medical question

## Anti-Patterns
- **"Just drink more coffee"** — masks the crash, wrecks sleep.
- **Extreme water targets** with no cues.
- **Ignoring lunch composition** — the spike-crash driver.
- **No movement/light advice.**
- **Treating chronic fatigue** as purely a hydration/habit issue.

## Example Trigger Phrases
- "I crash every afternoon around 3 — how do I fix it?"
- "I'm always exhausted after lunch."
- "Give me a hydration routine for a desk job."
- "How do I get more energy without more caffeine?"
- "What should I eat for lunch to avoid the afternoon slump?"